Ring Warming Ceremony
The Wedding of Angel and Amy
Welcome and good afternoon.
We are here today to celebrate the wedding of two individuals, Amy and Angel, who have found each other and have chosen to spend the rest of the rest of their lives together.
On behalf of Amy and Angel, thank you for joining us here today. Amy and Angel are delighted that you have come to share their joy during this special day.
By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other—and you support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.
Today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one.
Amy and Angel recognize their parents on this special occasion, they offer their profound gratitude for all the love and care their parents showed in rearing them.
Parents--the unconditional gifts of love and support that you have continually offered have inspired Amy and Angel to become who they are today. They thank you, from the bottom of their hearts. Without you, this day would not be possible.
Friends—you are a chosen extension of family.
Each of you has touched Amy and Angel’s lives in some way. They offer their heartfelt appreciation and thank you for making the long journey here.
Today, Amy and Angel will demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together. They will show their respect for each other by setting forth to honor the vows they created.
Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection.
Deep abiding affection is the magical and compelling shared impulse that makes us seek each other’s company.
Marriage is among the greatest gifts of the human experience.
Any of us who has been fortunate enough to find and express the kind of loving devotion that we are celebrating here today knows that it is an awesome and beautiful thing.
This understanding brings me to the first of three suggestions I will offer to you, Angel and Amy;
First--be constantly grateful for the presence of this precious person who has chosen to make a life with you.
My second suggestion is this:
Make each other the recipient of daily kindness.
The world can be a tough place and any of us can be subject to rough handling.
Be generous with compliments.
Be attentive and helpful.
Each of you--by your tenderness toward each other, kind words and thoughtful actions—can make your marriage and your home an uplifting refuge.
My last suggested, but perhaps the most important is to make truth the unfailing bedrock of your lives together.
A happy, loving marriage is built on trust and respect.
That trust and respect can only be sustained if you are both deeply committed to always being open and truthful in every exchange--no matter how small.
My hopes for you are
—that you have many long years to delight in each others company
—to feel gratitude for your great good fortune in having found and loved each other
—to a make home together that is at once sheltering and welcoming
—to each do meaningful, productive work at home and in the world and to love and be loved by the friends and family who have come here today to support you.
For thousands of years, lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows.
Let these rings be a sign that love has a past, a present, and a future through you and within you.
I invite family and friends to warm these rings to wish Amy and Angel health and happiness and all that is noble in life.
I ask that each guest hold them for a moment and warm them with your love and make a silent wish for this couple and their future together.
When these rings come back to Amy and Angel, they will contain--in their precocious metal, that which is more precious and priceless--your love, hope and pledge of support for their union.
(rings are passed)
While the rings are passed between you, Andrea will read an “Apache Blessing.”
(Andrea reads and rings return to Margaret)
Amy and Angel, please take each others hands.
These are the hands of your best friend—young, strong and full of love. These are the hands that are holding you on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as you build your future together.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years--and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes--tears of sorrow, and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
And these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.
Our hope for you today is that both of you will use your hands to build a marriage where all your dreams come true.
Angel, take Amy’s ring and place it on her finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you (Angel repeats)
To share my life with as my partner and best friend, to the end of my days
(Angel repeats)
Wear it, think of me, and remember I love you always
(Angel repeats)
Amy, take Angel’s ring and place it on his finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you (Amy repeats)
To share my life with as my partner and best friend, to the end of my days
(Amy repeats)
Wear it, think of me, and remember I love you always
(Amy repeats)
Now, may the love that has brought you together continue to grow and enrich your lives while you build your marriage.
May you meet with courage the problems that arise to challenge you and may your marriage always be one of love, trust and respect.
May the happiness you share today be with you always and may every word you have pledged here be a living truth in your lives.
In front of your friends and family, you have expressed the bond of love between you, and it is my honor to send you forth upon your journey in life together as husband and wife.
Please seal your vows with a kiss.
I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Obregon!